If We Were Meant to Be
by kassidanae
Summary: *Takes place soon after Miroku proposes* Sango and Miroku have more of a history together then they realized. And, naturally, this produces fluff and stuff.


_So… I was watching the episode where Miroku proposes to Sango (eep!) and it just made me go 'aaaaaaaawwwwwwwww I love Miroku and Sango!' And then my fingers started moving on the keyboard…. And this happened. Okay, bye bye._

**If We Were Meant to Be**

It had been a long three weeks. They hadn't found a place to stay besides under a tree, and there had been no clean rivers or hot springs to bathe in. Also, they and run out of food and had been eating whatever was found in the forest. They had heard word of Naraku the month before and had set out to find him, not knowing how tough and tedious the trip would be.

All five in the group (excluding Kirara) were extremely ill-tempered toward the others and countless fights had broken out that day alone. On top of all that, a storm had hit three days after they left and seemed to be following them wherever they went, making them cold, wet, and miserable. So the group was smelly, dirty, hungry, wet, cold, and all were getting sick.

When Inuyasha whispered to Kagome, who was on his back, that he saw a hot springs she became ecstatic and told him to go to it. Near that was a clearing that could be perfect for sleeping that night (more comfortably than the nights before). The boys insisted the girls go to the hot springs first while they made a fire and then they would switch while the girls made dinner. It seemed like a fair deal to the girls, so they agreed and grabbed their bathing things and almost ran to the hot springs.

Sango and Kagome had been relaxing for a few minutes, both deep in thought about their own things. "So," Kagome began, "you remember after the village with the demon woman?"

Sango groaned. "How could I forget? They forced me to eat a salamander egg, tried to turn me into one of them, made me injure Miroku, and—." She then blushed.

Kagome laughed. "That's what I thought you'd remember. I can't believe he proposed to you!"

Sango stuck her tongue out. "He didn't exactly. He asked me to 'bear his children', but I guess for Miroku that's probably as close as I'm going to get to a proposal."

Kagome grinned mischievously. "I wouldn't be so sure about that." She wouldn't tell Sango this, but Miroku had come to her about two months ago and asked her about commitment in her time. She had explained about engagement and weddings and the rings before taking a double-take and asking why. He merely told her he was curious, but seemed relieved that she had gotten the hint when she brought back a catalog with engagement rings in it.

So what if Miroku (or Kagome for that matter) couldn't afford anything in that magazine? With the pictures to go by, he could make Sango something just as nice. Kagome and Sango both fell further into their own thoughts as the warm water relaxed their tense muscles. Kagome had gotten Sango's mind on Miroku, and that's exactly who stayed in her mind.

After five minutes, Sango sat up abruptly. "THAT'S IT!"

Kagome looked over at her concerned. "What's wrong Sango?"

Sango laughed. "Nothing's wrong. I've been traveling with you all for five months now, you think?"

Kagome thought about it. "I met Inuyasha the day I was here, Shippo a week or two later, Miroku about a month later, and I've been coming here for seven months so… Yeah, five months sounds right. Why?"

Sango laughed freely again, tilting her head back. "When I first met you, I was trying to kill Inuyasha, right?" she didn't wait for Kagome to respond. "Well, aside from trying to kill him, being mystified by your odd clothing, and being awed by Shippo's adorableness, I thought I recognized Miroku from somewhere."

Kagome still didn't follow. "Okay? What does that have to do with anything?"

Sango was still grinning, but managed to hold back her laughter. "For five months, I've been trying to figure out where I know Miroku from and I just remembered!" She felt Kagome's expectant eyes on her and she began her story.

**_*Ten years before*_**

"Father," Sango asked one morning when she woke up early in the morning, "why did we have to summon a priest to our village, and why do they have to stay with us?"

"I've told you before, Sango. Do you remember the first demon you came to watch be slain?" he asked.

Sango nodded, wide eyed and grinning. "Yes father. It was the day after I mastered the use of my sword, three weeks ago on my eighth birthday. You allowed me to come watch as a privilege but also as training to see how the slayers work together. What about it?"

"Sometimes demons have ties to humans and that demon had a human lover. The human was enraged that we had killed his love and set a human curse on our village. Because we are demon slayers, we can remove demon curses but human curses are out of our hands. The priest we are summoning will remove the curse and then be gone soon after." Her father explained, though more thoroughly than he had previous times she'd asked.

He was right about the curse. Since their village had received the nuisance, food bad been extremely low and their crops kept dying. Along with that, they had not killed one even small demon let alone a major one since they killed the last. Also, the priest in their village had died after they'd received the curse and he'd died before he was able to remove it.

"Oh, okay. When will the priest arrive, father?" Sango asked.

"They will arrive this evening my daughter. Now you must hurry; your training class will be beginning soon." Her father instructed. Sango nodded and ran off to her class. Her training class was from eight until twelve when the boys went home to practice and mind to their homes. It was odd at first, Sango being the only female slayer, but she grew used to it quickly and became 'one of the boys.'

Slayer meetings after training classes had been canceled due to the expected visitors. Sango's mother cleaned the house and made the guest room presentable for guests. She also prepared a feast (from what they had) for the oncoming priest. They had been told that the priest was bringing along his orphaned novice, so Sango prepared him a bed in the same room as his master's.

"Master Mushin and his apprentice are here." Sango's mother called. Sango set down her sword (that she had been practicing with), grabbed her three year old baby brother, and followed her parents outside where almost the whole village was waiting. Sango and Kohaku's father stepped forward to greet him and their mother took Kohaku from Sango and asked her to check on the feast.

Sango nodded and left, glad to be dismissed from the crowd. Sango hated large multitudes; she always seemed to do something embarrassing in them. A little under an hour later, their front door opened and her family plus the priest and his apprentice walked in. Sango had been stirring the soup and petting her demon kitten Kirara when they arrived.

"This must be your lovely daughter, Sango." the priest said heartily.

Sango nodded and blushed. "I am Sango. It's nice to meet you."

The young apprentice whispered something into Mushin's ear and Mushin whispered something back. "I'm sorry, Miroku here is awfully shy. He told me to tell you hello."

Sango smiled at the strange boy in too-big purple and black robes. "Hello Miroku." He hid behind Mushin and blushed. This act made Sango giggle, which made the boy grin widely. Sango's father led the priests to their dining room and Sango helped her mother serve the men.

"Sango, why don't you sit down and eat with us." Her father said.

"I think mother needs help serving the guests, father." Sango insisted.

"I've never had you serve me before and I don't intend you to start now." After telling her mother of her father's wish, Sango sat between her father and Miroku. "I don't mean to offend you, my guests, by inviting my daughter to eat with us but she'd never exactly been like a daughter." He explained.

Sango nodded. They finished the meal and Sango showed the guests to their rooms. It was still light out and Sango had already done her 'homework', so she was told she was allowed to go play with her girlfriends outside.

"That priest's apprentice is so cute!" Aiko said as Miroku and Mushin walked by.

"I hadn't noticed." Sango shrugged.

"Of course you hadn't, Sango. You're 'one of the boys' aren't you?" Kichi teased.

"Yes Sango. Aren't you afraid you'll never get married?" Hiya said seriously.

"We're only eight years old." Sango rolled her eyes, "we have years to think about marriage."

"Only seven years." Kichi said. "Most of the girls here are married by the time they're fifteen."

Sango laughed. "Maybe I won't get married. I don't know how to cook, clean, or paint my face. I only know how to stir the food my mother cooks, make my bed, and I haven't even looked at the paint before."

"I only paint my face when I have time before classes." Aiko said. Aiko, Kichi, and Hiya went to the school where girls and the non-fighting guys went where they learned agriculture, cooking, cleaning, mothering, and how to take care of a house and family.

"Well, I for one think that boy's going to be a good catch one day. I'm going to go find out what shrine he's from." Hiya said determinedly.

Sango rolled his eyes. "He's training to be a monk. Monks don't marry."

"Some of the more modern ones marry. And by how much sake Master Mushin drank, I'd be willing to bet that Miroku's not going to be conservative." Aiko said coldly. She grabbed Hiya by the arm and pulled them over to the creek where Miroku was throwing stones. Sango and Kichi watched them.

"He is kinda cute." Kichi said carefully.

"He is. His violet eyes are to die for." Sango admitted. "I had a hard time keeping my head down during dinner to not stare into them."

Kichi laughed. "How come you said you didn't notice he was cute, then?"

Sango shrugged. "I don't feel like going through all that with Aiko. She wouldn't ever let it go and I wouldn't live my 'first crush' down until I got married, maybe not even then. Besides, he's going to leave and we're all going to forget all about him."

"So you're afraid of getting hurt when he leaves?" Kichi asked.

"No." Sango said firmly, "I just don't want to deal with it." Both were silent for a while. "I'm glad I can talk to you seriously, Kichi."

Kichi smiled. "I'm glad too." Aiko and Hiya walked back, collected Kichi, and headed to their three-in-a-row homes. Sango walked to where Miroku was still sitting.

"Hello Miroku." She said, sitting on a rock near him.

"Hello Sango." he greeted, whispering.

Sango had to admit his voice was just at tantalizing as his eyes. "It's getting dark. Would you like to return home soon?"

He nodded. "I don't know where it is, though."

Sango laughed. "Silly! I can show you where it is." She grabbed his hand and helped him up. They walked hand in hand back to the house where both went to their rooms and fell asleep. The next day, Mushin and Miroku got rid of the curse and Mushin insisted that they get home as soon as possible. All of Sango's family had walked out with Mushin which left Miroku and Sango to carry the bags out of the house.

Before they walked out the door, Sango grabbed Miroku's arm. She set down the things she was carrying and he did too. "Thank you for removing the curse." She said for lack of better things to say.

"I didn't do much. I mainly watch Master Mushin." Miroku blushed.

Sango smiled. "But still, it's great that you're training to be a monk because then you can do those things to other villages in the future."

Miroku shrugged. "I guess. Thank you for letting me stay in your house."

Sango blushed. "That wasn't me, it was my parents."

Miroku nodded. "Yeah but you were okay with it."

Sango smiled. "I even got to 'happy' about it. When I saw you, at least." She turned bright red at how forward she was being.

Miroku grinned at her. "I'm glad." Sango leaned forward and hugged him and he hugged her back. Deciding to just do it, Sango kissed him. She quickly pulled away, grabbed the bags she was carrying, and walked out the door leaving a stunned monk-in-training behind her.

"Is everything alright, dear?" her mother asked.

"Everything's fine. We were just saying good bye." Sango said, willing the red on her cheeks to fade before—

"MIROKU! I'LL MISS YOU SO MUCH!" Aiko and Hiya said rushing over. They showered him with hugs and kisses on his cheeks. He grinned and flirtatiously said good bye to the girls before following Mushin. Within a month or two, the curse and the priest that took it away were all but forgotten.

**_*Present time*_**

"That's so cute!" Kagome exclaimed. "You guys were like, destined for each other. It's a classic romance story in my time. They meet and fall in love in the short amount of time they have together only to meet again sometime in the future when they finally get to be together."

"Kagome." Sango blushed, "I was barely eight years old and he was only nine. We were still children back then. Besides, I highly doubt he even remembers it. I'm sure he made many trips around Japan with Mushin."

"But he was your first crush, Sango! He was your first kiss! And I wouldn't doubt you were his, either." Kagome insisted.

"This is Miroku we're talking about. I'm sure there were many little girls like myself that he tricked into liking him. And I saw him flirting with my friends after I had kissed him and I was so mad at them for weeks, but I was mad at him too. I obviously wasn't good enough for him, so we all just forgot about him to save our friendship. He looks somewhat different now, but his eyes… It's his eyes that have been haunting me for the months we've been together."

Kagome giggled. "You should ask him about it."

Sango's eyes widened and the blush that had been fading returned full force. "No! I can't do that!" Kagome sighed and dropped it. The two returned to camp and began making food (Inuyasha had caught food for them to eat; more food then they had probably had in the past three days combined) while the guys wordlessly headed to the hot springs to wash off. Right when the girls were getting frustrated with trying to keep the fire going in the rain, the rain let up. The girls almost giddily finished making dinner and they all ate when the boys returned.

"So," Kagome said after they had finished eating.

"So what?" Inuyasha asked, sounding irritated.

Kagome smiled at Sango. "Never mind."

Inuyasha growled. "If you've got something to say, just say it, woman!"

Kagome sighed dreamily. "I was just remembering my first kiss." she glanced at Inuyasha. "What about you, Sango?"

Sango blushed and glared at her. "Oh, I think you know all about it Kagome."

Kagome laughed but before she could respond Miroku spoke up. "And who was this lucky gentleman, Sango?"

Sango blushed even deeper. "Oh I was a child. I was eight years old and he was a visitor to the demon slayer village."

"If you were eight, I don't think it really counts." Inuyasha spoke up.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Of course it counts. I don't even want to know about your first kiss, Inuyasha. What about you, Miroku?"

Miroku laughed. "I don't really remember. I mean, I'm not even sure it really happened. I remember it like you'd remember a dream."

"Well," Kagome pushed, "what do you remember?"

"I was traveling with Master Mushin to remove a curse that had been set on a village. I was nine years old at the time, so it was a while ago. It was one of the girls in the village. I think it was either the girl I was staying with or one of her friends. I don't completely remember." Miroku shrugged. "But I never saw her again, so I guess it doesn't matter."

"It was real." Sango said softly.

There was a long pause. "Sango?" Miroku asked hesitantly.

"And it was the girl whose house you were staying in. You had come to my demon slayer village to remove a human curse that had been put on our village. My friends, Aiko and Hiya were all over you. Kichi and I kept our distance though." Sango smiled at the memory.

"Ah, Aiko and Hiya. I remember those names. I don't seem to remember you though, Sango." Miroku said, clearly thinking hard.

Sango laughed in disbelief. "You stayed in my house and you still don't remember me?"

"I stayed in _your_ house?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes. I was the little girl who served your food like a daughter and then ate at the table as if I was a son. I was also the only girl that trained outside for hours before being able to play with my friends who were too busy fawning over the strange boy who was staying in my house. I was the one that helped you carry Mushin's things out and I was the one that kissed you before you left." Sango said.

"I can't believe you don't remember." Kagome said doubtfully. "I mean, Sango remembers every detail."

"I didn't remember it until today!" Sango insisted. "It just… came to me and I remembered."

"No, Sango. I remember now." Miroku said, his voice restrained. "Who would've thought that we'd meet again and become allies?"

Kagome laughed. "I guess it's fate."

* * *

They all slept soundly in the clearing they had found, happily full of food, warm because of the fire and no rain, and clean because of the hot springs. Admittedly, they had to put back on dirty clothes, but that was okay. The next morning, despite everyone being much more relaxed, Inuyasha and Kagome got in a huge fight about… No one even remembered what, but it led to him stalking into the forest and her huffing angrily as she walked the other way.

Shippo and Kirara were wrestling on the other side of the field, which left Sango and Miroku alone with their thoughts around the campfire. "I remember you, Sango." Miroku said softly.

"Hm?" She asked.

"I remember you, but it seems you don't remember me." Miroku laughed.

"I remember you fine. Miroku,_ I_ was the one that remembered you came to my village, remember?" Sango laughed.

Miroku looked at her determinedly. "No, we met again after that. I know for sure we did. It was five years later, five years ago."

Sango rolled her eyes. "I would remember if it happened five years ago. I can easily remember when I was thirteen."

"But you completed your slayer's training at eleven and had been traveling to slay demons for three years at that point. Why would you remember every town you visited? That is just as I didn't remember visiting your town. But I remember you. I know it was you."

Sango gave him a questioning look. "How do you know?"

"Because I remembered you from when I visited your village." Miroku said. "I guess I'll have to tell you the whole story and see if you remember." Sango nodded and looked at him, extremely curious now.

_***Five years before***_

Fourteen-year-old Miroku was following Mushin around the town, doing their best to rid of the beastly demon that plagued their town. Miroku, at first, had been told to guard the temple but then the demon called on other demons and their village was under attack. One of the ladies in the village was sent to the nearest demon slayer village to help them eradicate the demon.

Cho took the fastest horse and rode to the demon slayer village in the nearby mountains. It was only four hours later when she arrived and ran into the village. A girl who looked about thirteen walked up. She had long dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. She was wearing a pink and green kimono, but had black gloves on. She was also sweaty, out of breath, and carrying a large boomerang.

"Hello, I'm Sango. Can I help you?" the girl asked.

Cho nodded her head vigorously. "Yes. A demon has been plaguing our village and is now rallying other demons to help him. We would pay your group for their service and give them a place to stay tonight if they would please accept this mission."

Sango nodded her head and hurried to her house. "Father?" she called he walked out to meet her in the front room. "A woman is here and needs our help. Would you please talk to her?" Her father obliged and headed outside to talk to the woman for a while. When he came back in, he drew up a list of six slayers to go on the trip. He then went door-to-door to call them forward. The people he called were: Hiroshi, Seiichi, Taku, Ryozo, Zinan, and Sango.

"You're really going to let me go, father?" she asked, amazed. This would be not only her first overnight slaying trip but also the first slaying trip she would go on without her father. They both knew she would be under great protection; all of the slayers (excluding Seiichi) were very experienced and all over the age of twenty. Seiichi and Sango were both in the same training classes and were only thirteen. It would be Seiichi's first overnight mission as well.

"Good bye, Sango!" Aiko, Hiya, and Kichi all called out. Half the village had come to see them off and wish them luck. This was more of a tradition than anything else; this mission had the aspects of being easy, as long as all the slayers took care with their training. They all rode on fast horses (except Sango, who rode Kirara) and reached the village in a little under four hours. It was chaotic. There were demons causing havoc all over the town, ruining homes, digging up the crops, and attempting to destroy the temple. Luckily, they had not succeeded in that yet.

The slayers immediately fell into action. Working together as the team they were trained to be, all the demons were slain in a matter of two hours. By the time the town was quiet once again, it was almost seven at night. A few houses were left standing and the families huddled in those. The slayers tried to return home that night, but the village insisted they stay and rest up before their journey.

The slayers had to admit the pathway was dangerous at night, and made to set up camp before the monk came over and offered his temple to the six. Instantly recognizing the monk as Mushin, the monk that had removed the curse off their village five years ago, they eagerly agreed and followed him to the temple.

"Excuse me?" a voice asked.

Sango turned around to see the same awkward (yet cute) boy in the same, still too-big, purple and black robes. "Hello." She said carefully, not remembering his name.

"Don't I know you?" he asked.

Sango nodded cautiously. "Yes, you stayed in our village a while back and helped rid of a curse."

"Ah, yes. I'm Miroku." He said clumsily; they had already done introductions years ago.

"Sango." Sango replied. "It's nice to see you again."

"Weren't you the one that kissed me?" he blurted out.

Sango blushed. "You must have me mistaken for someone else." She lied frostily. "I must go; the slayers are waiting."

"You do realize you're staying in my home?" he teased.

Sango nodded curtly. "Yes."

"And you realize that you're the only woman in a house full of seven men?" he teased further.

"I may be a female but I'm not a woman." Sango snapped, "And furthermore, I completely trust six out of those seven men with my life and know I will be completely safe."

"And who's the one you don't trust?" Miroku laughed.

"You." Sango turned and stalked off to the temple. Miroku had to run to catch up, and was barely keeping up behind her.

"Oh come on, that Seiichi guy keeps giving you these looks. I wouldn't be so sure about him." Miroku taunted.

Sango turned around so quickly that she slipped in the mud and fell. Miroku caught her easily (damn, he was stronger that he looked) and his hand traveled a bit more south than necessary.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she snapped, slapping him as hard as she could.

"Sango, will you—" but he never got to ask her what he wanted her to do because she sprinted to the temple. 'De-nied.' He thought jokingly. 'But she is a pretty one.'

The next morning, the slayers left in a hurry to return to their village. Sango refused to look at Miroku, and ran to her pet demon cat who conveniently transformed and Sango jumped on her back. Miroku tried to catch her eye to say goodbye, but she refused to even look his way, instead leading the slayers on the path back home.

Both were extremely angry with the other and swore they would forget all about them.

And they did.

**_*Present time*_**

"I did not do that." Sango argued.

Miroku continued laughing. "You refused to say goodbye to me, and our paths never crossed again. Until now, of course."

Sango laughed too. "Yes, until now. And when we part, our paths will undoubtedly cross again."

Miroku looked at the ground, puzzled. "Don't you remember my promise?"

Sango blushed and looked away. "I do."

Miroku gently turned her face to look at his with his hand. "Then what makes you think we will part?"

Sango rolled her eyes. "I'm just saying that you live for the moment, Miroku. I'm sure I seem like a good idea now, but by the time we've defeated Naraku, I might not seem like a good idea anymore."

"You'll always be the best idea, Sango." he promised.

She sighed and looked into the cloudless blue sky. "I don't know."

Miroku smiled and forced a chuckle. "I guess we were just meant to be friends. Fate keeps pushing us together for one reason or another, and I think it we need to hurry up and just listen to it."

Sango sighed. "I still don't know."

Miroku moved closer to her and wrapped his arms around her. Sango was hesitant at first, but once she realized his hands were behaving she relaxed. "You may not know, but I do. Just trust me."

They sat like that for a while before: SMACK!

Kagome and Inuyasha from the bushes: "Idiot."

_The end! Like it? Hate it? Just tell me! (And if you're gonna flame…. Do it nicely! Jkjk. Just do it.)_


End file.
